Chapter Twenty Eight
The entrance to the old gymnasium sat open and unattended as Jonas cruised through the gate. At first glance, it looked to be abandoned and empty, but Jonas knew better. Putting the truck in park, Jonas got out making his way to the trunk. He unzipped his black duffel bag with the large initials J. A. R. embedded on the flap. It had been a long time since he’d used this bag and the contents inside. Jonas grabbed what he needed and walked like a man on a mission towards the back door. It was also open and unattended.
Behind him, was Jaden and Jordan. The trio strolled with purpose down the long narrow hallway through an open door. A crowd of men stood in square formation posing as the outer layer of the makeshift ring. Most had placed their bets gambling on the winner of the fight while others were simply wanting a front row seat to see the undefeated boxer in all his glory once more. The crowd parted as Jonas entered. His eyes traveled from person to person but didn’t find who he was looking for.
“Where’s Kevin?” He asked his voice loud and menacing.
A rattle above his head caused him to look up at the green iron railing that outlined the wall above. Kevin placed his arms on the edge of the rail, his face barely seen in the dim light. Kevin’s eyes shifted to Jaden and Jordan just as Jacob, Julian, and Josiah entered.
“You were supposed to come alone. Don’t follow directions much?”
Jaden’s face creased into a volatile menace as he bit down like a guard dog ready to attack. “You said no police. Where is she?”
Kevin reached back and slid his arm around Samiyah’s waist pulling her close to his side; his hand tapping her slightly on her hip. “She’s been by my side this whole time.” A heinous smile curved up his lips. The movement turned him into a full fledge madman.
“I’ll tell you what, let’s make a deal. After I beat the crap out of whoever is stupid enough to enter this ring with me, I’ll pay you, triple what you’re making if you come down here and fight me yourself.”
Kevin snickered, “Triple, huh?”
“Triple.”
Kevin thought about the proposition. He wasn’t a professional fighter but he was cocky enough to believe that once Jonas had gone through three men, he wouldn’t have enough stamina left to withstand another fight if he made it through the three.
“Deal.”
The curve of Jonas’ lips told everyone that Jonas was looking forward to that part of the fight most. For a brief moment, he locked eyes with Samiyah. She didn’t look afraid or sad. The look she shared with him was of love and adoration.
“Where’s Claudia?”
Kevin glanced behind him and whistled. Seconds later Claudia appeared next to Samiyah, she looked more confused than anything. Jonas’ focus went back to Samiyah, and she answered his unspoken question.
“We’re fine.”
Kevin clasped his hands together. “Yes, they’re fine, now let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”
A man walked into the ring and stood inches away from Jonas. His build was medium, but muscular and he stood three inches shorter than Jonas. The man tooted his rough lips in the air and blew kisses at Jonas in a mocking manner. Jonas put his teeth guard in and retrieved his gloves from Jaden.
“This is how this works. The only rule is no feet. This is not professional boxing, it’s street boxing but using feet is a coward’s way out. Stick with your hands. Whoever goes down first has to fight the next man until the last man is standing.” Kevin paused, “And if for whatever reason you’re still standing at the end of all three fights, Mr. Rose, then you’ll have the pleasure of fighting yours truly.”
Jonas was counting on it. A woman dressed in a scantily clad thin see through mini skirt, and bikini top walked into the ring holding a sign that read round 1. She circled the men completely and gave Jonas a wink before exiting. A bell sounded, and Jonas’ competition started to dance in place, his body slightly bent with his boxing gloves blocking his face.
Mistake number one, straighten your back, Jonas heard Ned say in his mind as he watched the amateur fighter dance. With a tall solid stance, Jonas put his hands just above his chin, relaxing his arms, and shoulders with his elbows down. He wore the look of a wolf that had zoomed in on its prey. The man danced to the center of the ring and was attacked with three quick jabs to his midsection. There was a momentary shock, and the man dropped his hands for only a second but it was a second too long that left him exposed, and Jonas’ uppercut forced him back with such intensity that his feet left the ground and he landed on his ass at the feet of the men crowding his area. They shouted for him to get up even going as far as to yank him off the ground and pushed him back into the ring.
Unfortunately for him, Jonas didn’t give him a chance to recover, and Jonas attacked him again with a solid right then a firm left to his unprotected face. The man fell, his face red and crushed from the power of Jonas’ blows. The men shouted and tried to make him get up again, but the man was laid out and already snoring. There would be no coming back from him.
Jonas looked towards Kevin and lifted one glove in the air. It was his promise that Jonas was most definitely coming for him. Kevin tried to play it off as if he was unbothered, but his uncomfortableness was written all over his face. He’d figured Jonas might beat the first guy, maybe even the second, but he didn’t expect the man to go down so quickly.
For months, Kevin watched him train and box many times in live street fighting events, and he’d prevailed. Kevin was sure he had a winner but Jonas was too fast and his hits too robust. Although Kevin told Jonas he needed to win it was only to hype Jonas up. Kevin wasn’t sure Jonas still had it in him, and he at least wanted Jonas to go a few rounds before getting knocked out. Kevin had placed his bet on the other guy, and already, he saw his money going down the drain.
The beaten man was dragged out of the ring, and the second man stepped in. He was the same height as Jonas with a muscular build that said he took occasional steroids with the veins that bulged in his arms. Standing on the rail, Samiyah shut her eyes briefly; she hated that Jonas had to deal with this. Samiyah knew how he felt about fighting and she was trying to hold it together. She needed to be strong for him and Claudia.
Besides, Samiyah didn’t want to give Kevin the satisfaction of knowing she was worried. Not because she didn’t think Jonas could win, but because of what he’d worked so hard for, going through counseling and coming out a better man in the long run. Whatever he would need from here on out, she would be there for him. It was no doubt in her mind about that. She watched the second boxer do the same dance that the first boxer had done that proved to be ineffective.
She looked to Jonas, his stance stayed strong, giving his punches power and range, his footing balanced and flexible. The other boxer threw punches but was met with Jonas’ solid defense. After every punch the boxer threw his way, Jonas would step to the opposite side and throw a punch of his own that landed every time. It was infuriating his opponent, and Jonas knew it.
He was toying with the man, and Samiyah concluded that Jonas did it on purpose. The boxer tried to hold his ground and slip in a quick punch to Jonas’ abdomen, but Jonas dropped his elbows blocking his punch and moved with agility teasing the man with three swift rock-hard punches to his face that took the man down to one knee.
“Ooooooh!” The crowd buzzed.
Jonas didn’t give the would-be boxer a chance to get up. Instead, he finished him with a three-jab combination that forced the man to slouch and hit the ground. The noise from one side of the crowd indicated whose money had been put on the man and whose had been placed on Jonas. Some tried desperately to get the man up to no avail. Once again, Jonas set his sights on Kevin, lifting another hand that taunted him that soon it would be his turn. The third guy stepped in the ring, he stood face to face with Jonas built like a bull.
Samiyah tensed, the guy was huge in a mutant ninja turtle type of way. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think someone had been experimenting on him in a secret lab, and he was made especially for a time such as this.
The fight began, and this time Jonas’ opponent didn’t dance. They roamed around in a slow circle sizing each other up. His opponent moved first with a quick jab to Jonas’ abdomen which he in turn blocked. They continued to circle each other, and his opponent went in for a face jab that was blocked but swiftly landed a punch to Jonas’ gut. Samiyah winced, Jonas didn’t flinch. He calculated every move his opponent made. It was his usual tactic. The fighter seemed to have more speed and precision than his predecessors.
His opponent stepped in for another quick jab to his face, and Jonas bobbed sticking a quick jab to his opponent’s throat making him buckle slightly. It was enough for Jonas to rain in three quick, vicious jabs to his face and when his opponent tried to block, Jonas laid another duo of brutal jabs to his chest. Jonas’ hands worked in sync as he jabbed, blocked, crouched and jabbed again.
Samiyah felt Kevin flinch beside her, but her eyes stayed glued to the fight. Kevin reached over and grabbed Samiyah’s arm pulling her into his light. He planted a kiss on her face and padded her butt. The movement was not missed by Jonas, and he temporarily lost his focus with a glance towards them.
Samiyah jerked back and smacked Kevin across the face and Jonas was hit with a combination that took him to his knees.
“Noooo!” Samiyah screamed, and her heart sank.
Jonas recovered quickly punching his opponent in his precious jewels. If Kevin wanted to play dirty, so would he. His opponent buckled immediately giving Jonas the advantage to take him down. His combination rained down on the man in succession blow after gut wrenching blow. He fell to the side, and the crowd was going crazy. Jonas stood and spit. Jordan and Jaden stepped in to supply Jonas with water. Sweat glistened Jonas forehead, and blood sat where his lip had been cut open.
Kevin slipped brass knuckles on his hands and left the railing with Samiyah and Claudia in tow. His arrogance was thick, and he stepped into the ring.
“As promised,” Kevin said gesturing toward Samiyah.
“Baby, let’s just go please,” she begged.
“By the way,” Kevin countered, “she tastes delicious.” He licked his lips.
Jonas removed his gloves and tossed them to the side. In an instant, Jonas was on top of Kevin throwing punches faster than he ever had before. His adrenaline was on an all-time high as he pummeled Kevin’s face. Blood seeped through Kevin nose, mouth and ears as Jonas hit him with the strength of an iron fist. Hands pulled at Jonas as his brothers struggled to pull him off the bloody, battered man. Rage was all Jonas felt and not even his brothers could snap him out of it.
“Jonas please you’re going to kill him!” Samiyah screamed.
Her voice seemed to do it. Jonas punched him again for good measure and rose like a raging bull. He turned to Samiyah, and she withdrew. Jonas took a step toward her, and she took another step back. It dawned on him what he must have looked like. His face softened, and his fist unclenched.
“Baby,” he said, “You know I would never hurt you.”
Tears dropped down Samiyah’s cheeks, “Of course I know that. I didn’t mean too…” she sighed, “I’ve never seen you this way.”
The crowd dispersed as police officers swarmed the room.
“Let’s go!”
His brothers said. They moved in sync and made their way to the car. Jaden jumped in the driver’s seat, Claudia the passenger and Jonas and Samiyah in the back. Jordan jumped in with his other brothers that were waiting for the group at the entrance. They hightailed it out of there and regrouped back at his penthouse where their father and Samiyah’s mother waited.